Wiring diagram

[Lemadre2019]

I would like to have the wiring diagram for the tail light, the back half of my tail light doesn't work.
Model champagne 38EL 2019

 

[5picker]

No dice.
Forest River towables will not give out that information. Many have asked (including me, multiple times and while visiting the factory) but only a minority have received but a very few documents.

What exactly do you mean when you say "the back half of your tail light doesn't work?

My entire tail light is on the back.

Got a photo?

 

[bikendan]

I would like to have the wiring diagram for the tail light, the back half of my tail light doesn't work.
Model champagne 38EL 2019

Doesn't exist for any Towable owners.
You can try contacting the Cedar Creek division and ask. But prepare to be disappointed.
Only a very tiny handful of Towable owners have been able to get any schematics or diagrams.

 

[Lemadre2019]

No dice.
Forest River towables will not give out that information. Many have asked (including me, multiple times and while visiting the factory) but only a minority have received but a very few documents.

What exactly do you mean when you say "the back half of your tail light doesn't work?

My entire tail light is on the back.

Got a photo?

My front cap position lights works and two front sides amber lights works after that nothing works, brake and flashers works

 

[Mr. Dan]

after that nothing works, brake and flashers works

Sorry, but how can this be? After that nothing works ---- brakes and flashers (which are after that) works. ?

 

[Lemadre2019]

Yes the brake and flashers lights works but no running lights on camper except front cap and two front amber light in front of the camper

 

[Aussieguy]

A trailer had two distinct circuits/systems
One workes the driving lights and stuff via the 7 pin connection

The truck sends the voltage to each of the 7 pin components
Follow the 7 pin main cable to a junction box near the tongue

In the junction box all the wires split off for their light or brakes or whatever they are powering



1) there has to be a good ground (White) that returns the power back to truck battery
Bad ground can make several lights stop working at same time

2) wires and connection pins in the 7 pin can easily get damaged make sure none are loose

3) 7 pin only connection to house battery is to provide some charging voltage via the red wire…..

4) check the fuses in the truck
They provide the power for the lights and brakes

 

[5picker]

Yes the brake and flashers lights works but no running lights on camper except front cap and two front amber light in front of the camper

I'd start at the umbilical cord junction box which is usually by the pin box for 5th wheels. Since your front cap lights work, there's not a fuse issue with your truck.
Do you have a multimeter and know how to use it?

 

[Lemadre2019]

I know how to use a multimeter, I was avionic aircraft technicians for 35 years. I need to know where are running the wire in the RV and if they are junction box in the RV. Since the front half position light works and the other half doesn't work, the problem is somewhere in the middle of the RV.

 

[Oaklevel]

I doubt any light connections are wired in a junction box. More than likely as in the past the lights are wired and run toghther just behind each light in the walls.

 

[Oaklevel]

Ok this is not an RV but this may give you an idea how the marker lights are wired. The main difference is the wall on the inside of an RV enclosed.

 

[dalford]

Since the top and front sides work I would start by removing the side marker light. Pick a side? Check to see if the wire that “should” run to rear marker lights is connected. Not sure if they ran both sides but would just guess they would run the wire back on one side. My guess would be the driver side since they wouldn’t need to deal with entry door.

 

[dalford]

For trouble shooting purposes you can power the marker lights by inserting a blade “dc” fuse between the 2 connections on your umbilical cord between the keyway for the connector. Pin 3 & 4. This will supply 12v without having to back truck and connecting to truck.

 

[dalford]

I know how to use a multimeter, I was avionic aircraft technicians for 35 years. I need to know where are running the wire in the RV and if they are junction box in the RV. Since the front half position light works and the other half doesn't work, the problem is somewhere in the middle of the RV.

I doubt it is in the middle? Could be cut but…see my other post. If not a bad connection at front marker the probably at the rear lower red marker lights. Pull it and check it.

 

[5picker]

I know how to use a multimeter, I was avionic aircraft technicians for 35 years. I need to know where are running the wire in the RV and if they are junction box in the RV. Since the front half position light works and the other half doesn't work, the problem is somewhere in the middle of the RV.

See... that's the problem... we cannot tell you where the wires are running because every R/V is somewhat different (even like models) and Forest River won't tell you.

As has been mentioned, there's usually a junction box near the pin box on 5th wheels. "Sometimes" there is one wire that feeds all the marker lights (the front cap light, the side marker and the tail light) and they branch off that one wire. Where those branch connections are, is anyone's guess. They could be in the underbelly, along the frame or anywhere.

Sometimes each light has a wire that comes back to the junction box near the pin box. That's why I suggested looking at the junction box at the pin box first.

Short of that... some wire sleuthing is your best bet. You may be able to remove the tail light that isn't working, check for power and see where the wires head.

 

[Larry-NC]

Here's my two cents, after remotely debugging a very similar issue where my counterpart had never used a meter.

Obviously, the fuses in the tow vehicle and the seven-pin connector are good since the front marker lights work. Anyone who steers you that way isn't rational.

The people doing the wiring can be assumed to take the shortest paths. The umbilical from the tow vehicle terminates at a (not very weathertight) junction box. For the running lights, that conductor most likely connects to TWO conductors, one for the front marker lights daisy chain, and one for the rear marker lights+tail lights daisy chain.

It's a good bet that that three-conductor junction is faulty, or the conductor from there to the rear of the RV is compromised.

That's as much information as a schematic will give you. And if it's a bad connection at the junction box, you owe me a six-pack.

 

[5picker]

That's as much information as a schematic will give you. And if it's a bad connection at the junction box, you owe me a six-pack.

Hey... not so fast buddy... Aussieguy made mention of the junction box in post #7 and I did too in post #8 !!

 

[Aussieguy]

Yeah
But since I not allowed drink I’ll pass

Got taught a long time ago it takes people about 5 times hearing/seeing new info for brain to go now that makes perfect sense

So if someone says the same thing that is good for the learnee person
and confirmation that we all on same track

 

[Larry-NC]

Exactly! There were two reasons for my otherwise redundant choice.

1) Sharing that in an actual RV I had shown that the division was in the junction box (three conductors combined: source, front load, and back load).

2) Sharing experiences from this forum that the un-weather-tight (weatherloose?) junction box connections have been a common problem spot.

That's a little more helpful to someone unfamiliar with RVs than "Check the junction box."

I could have also said, "The source wire should have Brown insulation" but I chose not to because this could have been one of those rare cases where it wasn't.

 

[D W]

Every towable I've owned since 1984 had the same color pattern:
GREEN - tail lights/marker lights
RED - stop/LH turn
BROWN - stop/RH turn
WHITE - ground